Apeman, can I respectfully suggest you put a real photo of yourself on here! The unfortunate implication of your name and avatar is that you're a big hairy neanderthal!

Now, I have reached the age where I've done pretty boys and they aren't necessarily particularly sexy, and some of them are vain and cavalier beyond belief. I like a certain something going on physically but for me now, it's definitely what goes on in someone's head, a type of intelligence, wit, or a confident smile that can unexpectedly floor me (pun intended). But a picture can give information about someone's style. What kind of picture you choose can convey a sense of humour or whether you have a formal or casual style. It tells us how you wish to be seen. Information.

Yes of course you self identify from the inside out, but you identify others around you, or in proximity by their face. Obviously we know you are a cool moe foe, but it's nice to identify the unique face of this persona we have attached to you. It's not so we can judge you or rate your hotness on a scale of 1 to 10. Yes...post a photo :) lol

Humans are a visual species, same way others go by smell (although we could cover that another time..). Initially we pick up clues about a person from visual information and it has been said we fall in love with someone's 'style', not just sartorial but the whole person. Like their 'flavour'.
I find when someone on a message board doesn't use an actual picture of themselves I make one up in my head. Can't help it. Often it's then a shock (could go either way) when I see them for the first time. We look for faces everywhere, in clouds, in the dark. We seek out a face to go with the words, or the sounds, or the unknown.

I don't really do crushes either. It's too hard to tell from just online interaction. You could talk to someone online for a year, then get together in person and find out that one of you seriously irritates the other. I withhold any major feelings until I can be around someone long enough to get to know her.